User Responsibilities

Checking UWM E-mail

It is the responsibility of the library user to check their UWM e-mail regularly for notices and other communication from the UWM Libraries. Overdue notices are sent out to UWM e-mail addresses as a courtesy and can only be effective if the library user checks their e-mail regularly. Recall notices are sent out the day following the placement of a recall on a book and again can only be effective if the Library user checks their e-mail regularly. Failure to receive library notices does not constitute grounds for waiving library fines/fees.

Campus Absence

Library users who will be out of the local area for a period of time longer than one week and who wish to avoid overdue charges should return all materials to the UWM Libraries, make arrangements for someone to return any item recalled during the absence or provide the Libraries with a temporary out-of-town address to mail a recall notice to. Any circulating book may be recalled by another library user at any time. Please note that books recalled during the original loan period may be kept the remainder of the normal loan period, four weeks during the school year and two weeks during the summer. Renewed items are subject to immediate recall. These items will be due within approximately ten days.

Lost ID Cards

It is the library user’s responsibility to notify the Main Circulation Desk of the UWM Libraries of a lost or stolen ID card. The lost or stolen ID card will then be blocked by the Libraries to prevent another person from checking out materials on that card. The library user will be responsible for any materials checked out on a lost/stolen card that has not been reported to the Libraries.

Reporting a Theft in the Libraries

Any user of the UWM Libraries who is a victim of theft should immediately report the theft to the Main Circulation Desk. The library staff will contact Library Security and the Campus police to investigate the incident.

Borrowing Materials for Others

Library users should not borrow materials for other users or lend their library card to another user to check out materials. Each Person is ultimately responsible for all overdue fines, recall fines and non-returned materials checked out on his/her library card.

Care for Library Materials

It is each user’s responsibility to properly care for all library materials checked out to him/her. If noticeable damage is found in a book prior to checking the book out, please bring this problem to the attention of a member of the Circulation Staff to ensure that you are not charged for damage to the book. A note will be placed in the book’s item record and when the book is returned to the library, it will be sent to the Preservation Department for repair. If a book with damage is not reported to the Circulation staff prior to checking the book out, the user that last used the book may receive repair charges. Charges for repair to library books is left to the discretion of the Preservation Department.

Returning Library Materials

Checked out materials may be returned to any Circulation desk in the building. There are two book drops located at the Main Circulation Desk itself, as well as two outside book drops. One outside book drop is located near the entrance to the west wing of the library and the other resides near the bus shelter on Hartford Avenue. The two outside book drops are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Materials checked out from the Media and Reserve Library should be returned there. No checked-out library materials should be returned to the in-house use bins located within the library. These are only for books used within the library. It will be the library user’s responsibility to pay any overdue charges for materials returned to these bins.